Electric alarm-signal



UNTTED STaTirs PATENT (Cir rice.

ISAIAH H. FAR-NHAM, OF PORTLAND, ldAlNE.

ELECTRIC ALARM-SlGNAL.

BPECIFICATION'forming part of Letters Patent No. 305,747, datedSeptember 30, 188%.

Application filed March 17, 1884.

To ctZZ whom, it may cancer/t:

Be it known that I, ISAIAH H. FARNHAM, of Portland, in the State ofMaine,-have invented certain Improvements in Electrical Alarm-Signals,of which the following is a specification.

The object of my present invention is to provide an electrical alarmattachment for printing-presses and folders, whereby the failure of apaper to be delivered from the folder or from the press in due season isinstantly and automatically announced to the pressman or person incharge.

My invention consists in applying to the machine aclock-work attachmentwhich constantly tends to change the normal condition of an electriccircuit, and which is adapted, if said tendency remains unchecked for adefinite period of time, to accomplish the said change and actuate analarm, but which, so long as the machinery is performing its duefunctions correctly,is constantly checked at a point short of the pointof change, the alarm consequently not being given.

This device is applicable not only to printing presses and tofolding-machines attached thereto, but may be adapted to other kinds ofmachinery for manufacturing purposes. It may readily, for example, beattached to the well-known Fourdrinier paper-machine, and be arranged inconjunction therewith in such a manner as to give an alarm when at anytime the continuous web of paper proceeding therefrom breaks or fails incontinuity.

I have shown several. forms in which my in-- vention may be embodied. Inone form the alarm circuit is shown. as being normally open,and adaptedto be closed and ring a bell upon the failure of the machinery tofulfill its proper function, and in connection with this form I havealso shown a regulator, whereby when the machinery is brought to acomplcte stand still, the circuit is automatically opened at a secondpoint,-preventing an unnecessary alarm. In another arrangement anelectrical circuit is normally closed, and upon the failure of themachinery to work properly is opened, and by the act of opening operatesto close a second and local circuit, and thereby give the alarm.

In the drawings which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 showsone embodiment No model.)

of my invention, partly in diagram, and fitted with regulatingattachment. Fig. is a de tail thereof, taken in section on the line asm, Fig. 1, and shows an end view looking from. the folder. Fig. 3 is aside view of the regu lating device. Fig. i is a modification of Fig. 1,driven by outside power instead of clock work; and Fig. 5 shows a secondmodification of Fig. 1, in which a normallyclosed circuit is used.

In the first arrangement a simple and ordinary elock-movement, driven ina well-known manner by a weight or spring-motor, (not shown.) mayconsist of two wheels-one, 0, being an escape-wheel engaging with a pairof pallets, 0 which are, as shown, provided with a weighted arm, 6,whereby the speed of rotation of the wheels may be controlled andproperly regulated. The second wheel, I), which engages with the pinionp on the arbor of the escape-wheel, is toot-hedregularl y round itsperiphery. An arm, a, carrying a pawl, (l, is pivoted upon the axis orarbor I) of the toothed wheel 0, and when the wheel rotates in thedirection indicated by the arrow, the arm, being under the constanttension of the spring f, tends also to move in the same direction. Itis, however, prevented from moving rapidly in that direction by the pawld, which is adapted to fall. into the spaces between the teeth of thewheel, this locking the arm and maintaining its rate of motion uni formwith that of the wheel I). lhere is no obstacle in the way of thebackward move ment of the arm, inasmuch as when any force greater thanthat of the spring acts to force it backward the pawl (7 by virtue ofits conformation, slides from between and over the crown of the severalteeth. The arm a is me tallic, and is furnished with an electricalcontactpoint, 11 adapted to make electrical and mechanical contact withthe pin a when it is permitted in the regular rotation of the wheel I)to advance forward so far.

The entire apparatus, suitably mounted, is attached to the machine F insuch a way as to lie directly in the path of the manufactured articlesas they are delivered.

I have shown the apparatus as fixed in front of the folder F of aprinting-press, the last folding-rollers of which are represented by theletter R. A pair of endless tapes or ribbons are stretched parallel oneto another, as indicated in end view in Fig. 2, over the small rollersK, which are at each of the said tapes mounted on shafts 7c. The end ofthe arm a extends upward between the said parallel tapes, and is thusdirectly in the path of any article which may be at any time borneforward and away from the machine on the upper surface of the endlesstapes. In the draw ings one paper, 1?, is shown as being in the act ofmoving forward in the direction of the arrow, and thus pressing the arma back ward, while a second is leaving the rolls R.

For a purpose which will be hereinafter de scribed, I arrange a governoror regulator at any convenient point, and operate the same by a pulley,w, and belt 10, driven by the power which drives the press. In thedrawings this is shown as attached directly to the front of the folderF, and the shaft I is adapted to rotate in the standards S S. Two heavyballs, H, are fitted upon a flexible but strong hoop, a, the lower partof which is fixed,while to the upper part is attached a vertical rod,4', which slides easily in the upper end of the shaft I, which is forthe purpose made hollow. The upper standard S is insulated by means ofthe plate J, and supports a contactpoint, 0, the complementary point 0being carried on a SPl'il'lg-Etll'll], I), which is also insulated.

Then the machinery is at rest, the balls and hoop are in the positionindicated by the dotted lines, and the rod 1', (the end of which istipped with insulting substance) attached to the said hoop, is forcedupward, pressing against the springarm b and separating thecontact-points c and c. \Vhen, onthe con trary, the machinery is set inmotion, the balls H swing apart by centrifugal force, the hoop h and rod17 are drawn down, and the spring arm I) is permitted to descend, thusclosing an electric circuit at the points 0 c. The said electric circuitstarting from the battery L continues by wire 3 to standard S and pointe,- thence, when closed, to upper point, 0, spring-arm 1), wire 4, andcontact-point z. From the other pole of the battery the circuit runs bywire 2 to alarm-bell V, wire 5, switch 8, wire 6, arm a, and contact a.

It will be observed that the circuit has two points at which it may beopened'/'. (2., between 0 and c, and between the arm-contact y and thestationary pin In the operation of this device, the machinery being inmotion, the paper P, leaving the rolls R, is conducted out on theendless tape T in the direction of the arrows. The arm a, slowly workingin an opposite direction in conformity with the direction and velocityof the wheel 0, and under the influence of the spring f, being directlyin the path of the advancing paper between the two parallel tapes, is ofcourse met by the said paper and forced backward, the pawl d slidingover the teeth of the wheel 0, the arm a being thus pushed by the paperuntil the said paper has completely passed over it, when it is released,and commences again to travel with the wheel 1). Its speed is, however,so regulated that before it reaches its forward limit it is again metand pushed back by the next paper, P, and so on ad Zzbt'tum, providedthe papers issue regularly from the folder. If, from any cause,

the papers should fail to follow one another in due successionif, forexample, they clog at any point, or if any undue interval should elapsebetween the passage of sheets-the arm a would reach the limit of itspath, the circuit would be closed between i and z, and the alarm given.I may of course use a weight instead of the spring j, which retracts thearm a, notifying the attendant.

It is evident that when the machine, press, or folder is stopped, thealarm will sound unnecessarily unless some steps are taken to prevent.To this end I introduce the governor or regulator which I havedescribed, which acts automatically to open the circuit between thepoints 0 and 0 before it is closed between the points 1 and a, thecircuit being maintained open at the governor, so long as the machineryis in motion, by the balls, which fl y apart in a manner wellunderstood.

Although I prefer the automatic governor, I may in lieu thereof use ahandswitch, s, to open the circuit manually.

Although I have described the clock mechanism as being operated by amotor, a motor is not indispensable, as the spring f may be constructedto draw the bar a. forward. The pawl d drops into the wheel 7), so thatthe movement of the spring is regulated by the escape ment, theapparatus being thus much simplified. The power by which the clock-workis .driven may also, as shown in Fig. 2, be derived from an externalsource instead of be ing, as described in Fig. 1, derived from a springor weight. In this case the pulley WV represents the outside power,which is transmitted to the wheel-work by the belt Q, and

pulley N. The source of power may be the same as that working thefolder, to which the pulley WV may be attached. the train carries thelever-arm, which works similarly to the one described in Fig. 1. In thisplan the lever is attached to the shaft of The last Wheel of the wheelby a friction-clutch, f, so that the movement of the train tends tobring the lever down, closing the electric circuit. The due passage of apaper prevents this closing of the circuit 'by forcing the lever backagainst the motion of the wheels, there being only a light friction madeat the junction of lever and shaft on the side of the wheels. In somerespects the latter plan is preferable, as being an easier device toregulate, so that the time required by the arm a to travel to itsextreme limit shall be uniform. The governor-circuitopening device mayin this case be entirely eliminated from the alarm-circuit by connectingthe drivingpulley XV directly with the .rollers R of the folder, as willbe seen.

In the modification I show in Fig. 5 two circuits are employed, one ofwhich is kept normally closed so long as the papers are be ing dulydelivered. The paper I, carried on the tapes T, which revolve onthepulleys 7c, in its passage impinges against the circuit-closing arma, pressing it upward, and bring its contact-point a into connectionwith the complementary point a, which,-by means of the plate a", isinsulated from the arm 0' by the non-conductor a. The circuit of thebattery K, which must be of the gravity or some other constant type, isthus closed through the mag net M. The path of the said circuit may nowbe traced from the battery by wire l, electromagnet M, wire 5, arm 1',contacts a and u, an d by wire (3 back to battery. The electro-magnetMis thus energized and attracts its armaturer. This, by aconnecting-link, r pulls the rackbar 11 away from the toothed wheel D,which is supposed to be constantly rotating in the direction indicatedby the arrow. The rack-bar c is pulled away from the wheel D by the electro-magnet M, and at the same time pulled down by the retracting-springf. The lower part of the rackbar is maintainedin place by the squareslot which works on the bolt V. The upper end is prevented from makingundesirable movements by the slot s, which works vertically on the pin 1A normallyopen circuit leads from contact-point m'a wire 2, throughbattery L, alarnrbell V, and wire 3 to the point g on the end of therackbar. So long asthe mechanism is working properly and the finishedarticle is being duly delivered the main circuit is kept closed betweenthe points 11 and a, the magnet M consequently attracting its armature,and thus holding the rack-bar away from the wheel. After the article 1?has passed, the arm 1' falls onto the limit 0, as indicated by thedotted lines, and opens the main circuit. The magnet M is thendemagnctized and allows the ar mature T to fall back. The rackbar isthen drawn back by the spring], and its teeth therenpon engage with theteeth of the rotating spur-wheel 1). By reason of this engagement therack-bar is lifted vertically toward the contact 1 It, now, a secondarticle is delivered in the regular time, the operation is againreversed before the contact between the points 1 and y is eftectethandthe alarm is not sounded. if, on the contrary, from any cause, thedelivery of the second article is delayed, the rack I bar will continueto ascend until the point 9 comes in contact with the point r completingthe circuit and giving the alarm.

Another way in which my invention may be operated is to cause themovement of the arm shown in Fig. 1. to remove a detect, and thusallow amechanical instead of an electric bell-ringer to operate.

Itis ofcourse obvious thatI am not restricted to the use of anelectro-magnetiebell, since an annunciator, or a buzzer, or, in fact,any suitable testing device, may be equally well employed.

I have thus produced an apparatus depending on movements occurringinregular times, and adapted to announce the failure of a paper to comeout from the folder or from the press in due season, which is also welladapted to apply to other manufactured articles, so as to give noticewhen such articles fail to be delivered or to pass a certain point at acertain. time; and

I claim 1. An electro-magnetic alarm attachment for printingipressfolders or other like ma chinery, consisting ofan alarmbell in anelectric circuit, means, as indicated, whereby the circuit may be closedand the alarm given when the machinery fails to work properly, saidmeans comprising a normally-open cir- Quit-closer, a clock-train foractuating the same, and a retarding device adapted to prevent thepremature closure thereof, and other means comprising a normally-closedcircuitcloser and an automatic governor therefor, whereby thealarm-circuit maybe opened and a. continuous alarm thus prevented uponthe complete stoppage of said machinery, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the folder of a print ing-press, a time deviceadapted to close an electric circuit upon the occurrence of an undueinterval between the passage of sheets, and an electromagnetic alarminstrument-in cluded in the said circuit, substantially as hereinbeforedescribed.

3. The combination, with the folder of a printing-press, of a timedevice adapted to close an electric circuitin the manner hereinbeforedescribed, an electro-magnet-alarm instrument included in the saidcircuit, and a governing or regulating device adapted to maintain thecircuit open at a pointindependent of that controlled by the time devicewhen the folding mechanism is in motion, and to close the said circuitat the same point when the said mechanism is stopped, for the purposesdescribed.

i. In an electromagnetic alarm apparatus substantially as hereinbeforedescribed, the

combination of a time device adapted, unless checked, to close anelectric circuit after a definite interval of time, an electromagneticalarm included in the said circuit, and means, as indicated, for openingthe said circuit at a second point, for the purposes described.

In an clectro-magnetic alarm apparatus substantially of the characterhereinbefore dc scribed, the combination of an electric circuit, anelectric bell included in the said circuit, a time device adapted,-unless mechanically prevented, to operate one of thesaid-circuit-closers after a definite interval of time and to give thealarm, and means, as indicated, for automatically operating the secondcircuit-closer to prevent unnecessary alarms.

6. In an electric alarm device for printing press folders for giving analarmsignal when the sheets fail to be delivered in due season, thecombination of a clock-train, actuated by a spring, weight, or by anexternal motor, a

normally-open electric :tlarm-circuit, an eleczthtrnl given when thesaid delivery is im- I trio bellincluded therein, and a pivoted ciripeded, substantially as described. euitc10sing arm actuated by aconstant force In testimony whereof I have signed m y name in a forwarddirection to close the-alarm-cirto this specification, in the presenceof two sub- 5 cuit, but controlled and retarded bythe said scribingWitnesses, this 14th day of March 1881. 15

elock-trztimand adapted to be eonstantlyforoed p 7 T backward by theregular delivery of sheets, ISAIAH PARA whereby the eirouitis maintainedopen solong as the said delivery proceeds regularly, and

10 whereby the circuit may be closed and the Vii/messes:

FRED J. F. Senwlurrz,

H20. WILLIS PIERCE.

